The Brief: Dewhurst Plans to Keep Working Until Next Session

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst waves after speaking to a crowd on primary election night in Houston.

The Big Conversation

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst won't be around for the next legislative session in January after losing his runoff contest on Tuesday. But he won't be taking the next seven months off as a result.

The Tribune's Ross Ramseyreports that Dewhurst plans to spend the next several months preparing the Senate for the handoff to the chamber's next presiding officer, who he assumes will be Dan Patrick, the man who beat him in the runoff, and not Democratic challenger Leticia Van de Putte. He also told Ramsey that he plans to remain involved in the public policy sphere after January in some capacity.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Joe Straus told Ramsey that he was satisfied with the results of the runoff contests in his chamber, expressing hope that the 2015 session unfolds similarly to last year's session. He added that should Patrick win the post of lieutenant governor in November, they would be joined by "a common interest in success."

“The last session ... I’ll say this, as a negotiating partner on education, I found him reasonable,” Straus said.

The Day Ahead

• Join us for a conversation with the GOP candidate for comptroller, Glenn Hegar, at the Austin Club at 8 a.m. If that's too early, we will livestream the event.

• The House Appropriations subcommittee with oversight over criminal justice and the judiciary will hold a joint hearing at 10 a.m. in the Capitol Extension with the House Corrections Committee to look at health care cost trends in the prison population. (agenda)

• The Corrections panel will hold a separate hearing at noon for an overview of processes at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the pardons and parole board. (agenda)

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